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Homewood High School
Birmingham, Ala b ama
afine bur@homewood.k12.al.us
A 7-Day
Unit Plan for
High School
Psychology
POSITIVE
PSYCHOLOGY
2 Acknowledgements
3 Procedural Timeline
4 Content Outline
15 Activities
25 Transparency Masters
27 Transparency Master A
Wealth and Well-Being
28 Transparency Master B
Graphical Representation of Flow
29 Transparency Master C
Activities That Require Skill and Challenge
30 Transparency Master D
Activities That DO NOT Require Skill and Challenge
31 Handout Masters
33 Handout Master A
Daily Mood Form
34 Handout Master B
Satisfaction With Life Scale
35 Handout Master C
Optimism Questionnaire
41 Handout Master D
Scoring the Optimism Questionnaire
44 Handout Master E
The Goals Scale
45 Suggested Reading
45 References
Acknowledgements
Many others outside the task force have been helpful in providing
feedback, resources, and permission to this project: Ed Diener, for his
work on subjective well-being, the Satisfaction With Life Scale, and
Daily Mood Form; Martin Bolt and Worth Publishers, for Dr. Bolt’s
activity descriptions and permission to use them in this unit; and
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, for his permission to use his work on flow.
I. Positive Psychology:
A New Perspective on Human Behavior
4
depression at some point in life (Saroyan, 1998).
2. Today’s average age of onset of depression is 15 years old,
compared to 30 years old many years ago (McGuire, 1998).
B. Happiness
1. People tend to report themselves as happy. One third of
Americans say they are very happy, with only 1 in 10 saying they
are “not too happy.” Most describe themselves as being “pretty
happy.” Some possible explanations for these levels of happiness:
a. Tendency to be agreeable—People over-report good things.
This phenomenon can be seen in survey research with
people exhibiting social desirability—the desire to look good
for others. Also, demand characteristics come into play when
people want to give the researchers what they think
they are looking for.
b. People’s momentary moods—In positive moods, people view
the world with a “rose-colored mirror” in that they are positive
9
in viewing themselves but are less benign in their views of
others (Sigmon and Snyder, 1993). In negative moods,
people see the world as being ugly, depressing, and hostile.
2. Qualities of happy people include
a. Self-esteem—Self-esteem is a self-referential mood that
reflects one’s appraisal of success or failure in important life
goal pursuits. People who believe themselves to be relatively
competent report being happier, thus they do not just “feel
good about themselves,” but “feel good about themselves for
having just succeeded.” However, high, unwarranted self-
esteem can lead to problems such as divorce and violence.
b. Personal control—People who have a sense of personal
control in their lives are happier.
c. Optimism—People who believe bad situations are not their
fault, do not always interfere with life, and do not permeate
into all aspects of life are happier.
d. Extraversion—Extraverts are more involved with people,
have a larger circle of friends, engage more often in
rewarding activities, experience more affection, and have
more social support. Extraverts tend to be more cheerful
and high-spirited as well.
e. Hope—People who exhibit high levels of hope tend to be
happier as they pursue goals and challenges.
Content Outline...continued
14
Activities
D. As you plan for your future in college and then in the career world,
what do you envision yourself doing with your life? What is your
primary concern as you decide which career to choose? Why?
Do you plan to choose a service-oriented career? Why or why not?
If not, do you plan to engage in philanthropic activities?
15
E. What is the difference between pleasurable and philanthropic
activities? To what extent does each make you happy?
From which do you personally derive the most happiness? Why?
Activity 2.1
Daily Mood Form
Ed Diener, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Randy Larson
Description: Distribute copies of the Daily Mood Form and instruct students
to record their levels of affect at roughly the same time each day
(before they go to bed, when they wake up in the morning, at lunch, and so
on). At the end of the exercise, have the students calculate their affect scores
and the frequency of their affect in the following way:
Compute a positive affect score by finding the average of the ratings for
“happy,” “joyful,” “pleased,” and “enjoyment.” Compute the negative affect
score by finding the average of the ratings for “depressed,” “unhappy,” “frus-
16 trated,” “angry,” and “worried.” Subtract the negative score from the positive
one to get a Global Daily Mood score.
Discussion: If the Global Daily Mood score is greater than zero, the subject
reported more positive than negative affect. If less than zero,
the subject reported more negative than positive. The average frequency of
positive affect among college students was 72 percent, with a range of
20 to 99 percent.
Diener and his colleagues report that frequency of positive affect scores was
associated with a number of traits reflecting psychological well-being and
adjustment, including high self-esteem, self-confidence, satisfaction with one’s
life, and cheerfulness. Other studies have found that positive affect is strongly
related to the personality trait of extraversion. In contrast, negative affect is
related to neuroticism, defined as the tendency to worry and become easily
upset. Interestingly, these relationships were found even when the mood
measures were taken a decade after the measures of personality.
Reference
Activity originally appeared in Bolt, M. (1998). Chapter 13: Emotion. Instructor’s resources
to accompany David G. Myers’ Psychology, 5th edition. 18. New York: Worth.
DAY 2
PSYCHOLOGY
Positive Psychology A 7-Day Unit Plan for High School Psychology
Activity 3.1
Satisfaction With Life Scale
Ed Diener, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Concept: The Satisfaction With Life Scale was developed to assess people’s
satisfaction with life as a whole. The scale does not assess satis-
faction with life domains such as health or finances, but allows subjects to
integrate and weigh these domains in whatever way they choose. It is not a
long measure, but the scale’s validity has been tested in many settings and
countries and found to be high.
Activity 4.1
Creating Flow Experiences
Amy C. Fineburg, Homewood High School, Birmingham, Alabama
Based on the work of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, University of Chicago
18
experiences. Be sure to discuss how the activities the students listed would
fall under the category of flow.
Step 3—Using Transparency Master D, brainstorm activities that
do not require skill or challenge and ways to make those activities become
flow experiences. Share with the students the following anecdote.
The Challenge: Once Step 3 is complete, have students choose one way
in which they can make a low-skill and low-challenge activity
into a flow experience. During the next couple of days (instructor’s choice)
students should engage their microflow strategies during a particularly
non-flow experience, such as a lecture. Students will write a short paper
about this experience addressing the following questions:
• In what microflow activity did you engage? In what situation was
the microflow activity used? What were the qualities of this situation
that made it a nonflow experience for you?
• How did you make the microflow activity provide challenge for you
while you were engaged in it? How could you make it provide even
more challenge in the future as you become more skilled at
the microflow activity?
• How do you create flow in situations in which you are skilled?
Discussion: Most students are skilled in some activity in which they engage,
but trouble arises in relatively boring situations or in situations
that present a low level of challenge. Microflow activities help people over-
19
come boring, tedious situations in which escape is usually impossible without
consequences (like school attendance). While microflow types of activities
help in inescapable situations, life is not enhanced by them overall. Students
need complex, demanding, and high-skill activities that will produce flow and
will also provide something to look forward to during boring experiences.
As Dr. Mike Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced as “Cheek-sent-me-high”) says
in his book, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, “Enjoyment
appears at the boundary of boredom and anxiety, when the challenges are
balanced with the person’s capacity to act.”
Reference
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.
New York: HarperCollins.
DAY 4
PSYCHOLOGY
Positive Psychology A 7-Day Unit Plan for High School Psychology
Activity 5.1
Measuring Optimism
Martin E. P. Seligman, University of Pennsylvania
Reference
Seligman, M. E. P. (1998). Learned optimism: How to change your mind and your life
(2nd ed.). New York: Pocket Books.
DAY 5
PSYCHOLOGY
Positive Psychology A 7-Day Unit Plan for High School Psychology
Activity 5.2
Imagining Your Future: The Hope Scale
C. R. Snyder, University of Kansas
Concept: Hope is defined as the overall perception that a person’s goals can
be met. The primary components of hope are pathways
(the perceived ability to generate routes to achieve goals) and agency
(the willpower or energy to get moving toward one’s goals). The following
activity will measure the amount of hope students possess and help them to
see a relationship between their future goals and their current levels of hope.
Description: Ask students to close their eyes and think of the future.
Give them a few seconds and then ask what came to their minds
and how long it took for them to picture something. Notice the quality of the
goals the students have, especially whether they are intrinsic or extrinsic in
nature. Discuss with the students how most people have good ideas about
the goals they have for their futures. People are generally goal oriented,
and those goals are usually intrinsic. Once discussion is satisfactory, pass out
the Goals Scale and give the students a few moments to complete it. It is not
long, so it should not take much time to complete. Once completed, instruct
students on how to score the scale. The instructions follow.
21
For the agency score: Add items 2, 9, 10, and 12.
For the pathways score: Add items 1, 4, 6, and 8.
Distracters are items 3, 5, 7, and 11 to make the goal of the scale less
obvious. (This section may lead to a discussion of the purpose of distracters in
experimental research. Because classroom conditions are not experimental in
nature, it is not the intention for students to be fooled by the distracters.)
Note. When administering this, we call it the “Goals Scale” rather than
the “Hope Scale” because on some initial occasions when the scale
was administered, people became so interested in the fact that hope could be
measured that they wanted to discuss this rather than taking the scale.
No such problems have been encountered with the rather mundane title
“Goals Scale.”
Reference
Activity originally appeared in Bolt, M. (1998). Chapter 13: Emotion. Instructor’s resources to
accompany David G. Myers’ Psychology, 5th edition. 18. New York: Worth.
DAY 6
PSYCHOLOGY
Positive Psychology A 7-Day Unit Plan for High School Psychology
Activity 6.1
A Beautiful Day: Applying Principles of Positive Psychology
Martin E. P. Seligman, University of Pennsylvania
Materials: None.
Design a beautiful day (a 24-hour clock day) that is within the realm of
possibility for you to live currently. Explain why you chose each element.
Have students bring in their designs for discussion. This discussion is to help
the instructor be sure that the students understand what the research says
about positive subjective experiences and “the good life.” Once discussion
22 has come to a satisfactory conclusion, present the following assignment
to the students:
Try to live that day and report your feelings while including answers to
the following questions:
Part 1: Were you successful in living that day?
Why or why not? Were all of the qualities of your beautiful
day truly beautiful? Why or why not? What would you now
change about your perception of a beautiful day?
Activity 6.2
Pleasurable Versus Philanthropic Activities—
Which Bring More Happiness?
Martin E. P. Seligman, University of Pennsylvania
Concept: Research on flow and optimism shows that positive affect lasts
longer after a person is engaged in rewarding yet challenging
activities rather than in activities that bring just physical or homeostatic
pleasure. Students routinely engage in both types of activities, but the
common belief is that pleasurable activities are more satisfying than
philanthropic ones. This activity will help students become aware of their
feelings in regard to these two types of activities and lead to discussion of
which type of activity creates more positive affect.
Materials: None.
Note. Some students may not feel as though they participate in philanthropic
activities. Although likely to be false, this belief may hinder students
from completing this activity successfully. Some have argued that assigning
philanthropy tends to neutralize the altruistic qualities of the activity, so it may
be necessary to assign or suggest some simple philanthropic activities to
students who have trouble with the concept. Some suggestions may include:
These are only suggestions and might help students more accurately
recognize philanthropic activities in their lives.
Discussion: The primary difference between pleasurable and philanthropic
activities centers on who is affected by the activity. Pleasurable
activities benefit the self, while philanthropic ones benefit others. Research on
the “good life” suggests that people are happier when they are helping others
rather than just benefiting the self.
24
Transparency Masters
Positive Psychology A 7-Day
Transparency Master A Unit Plan for
Wealth and Well-Being–
The United States High School
Psychology
$20,000 100 %
$18,000 90%
PERS O N AL IN C O ME
(in 1995 dollars) 80%
$16,000
$14,000 70%
$12,000 60%
27
$10.000 50%
$4,000 20%
$2,000 10%
$0 0%
HIGH CHALLENGE
ANXIETY FLOW
HIGH SKILLS
LOW SKILLS
28
APATHY BOREDOM
LOW CHALLENGE
29
A 7-Day Positive Psychology
Unit Plan for Transparency Master D
Activities that DO NOT Require
High School Skill and Challenge
Psychology
30
Handout Masters
Positive Psychology A 7-Day
Handout Master A Unit Plan for
Daily Mood Form
High School
Psychology
Day #: Date:
1 Not at all
2
3
Very slight
Somewhat
33
4 Moderate amount
5 Much
6 Very much
7 Extremely much
_______ Happy
_______ Depressed/Blue
_______ Joyful
_______ Pleased
_______ Frustrated
_______ Angry/Hostile
_______ Enjoyment/Fun
_______ Worried/Anxious
_______ Unhappy
A 7-Day Positive Psychology
Unit Plan for Handout Master B
Satisfaction With Life Scale
High School
Psychology
Directions: Below are five statements with which you may agree
or disagree. Using the 1-7 scale below, indicate your agreement with
each item by placing the appropriate number on the line preceding
that item. Please be open and honest in your response.
Scale
1 = Strongly Disagree
2 = Disagree
3 = Slightly Disagree
4 = Neither Agree or Nor Disagree
34 5 = Slightly Agree
6 = Agree
7 = Strongly Agree
Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larson, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The satis-
faction with life scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 71-75.
Positive Psychology A 7-Day
Handout Master C Unit Plan for
Optimism Questionnaire
High School
Psychology
Directions: For each question, pick the choice that best describes
how you would explain the given situation. Although you may not have
experienced the situation before, put yourself in that situation
to determine how you would respond.
7. You run for a community office position and you win. PvG
a. I devote a lot of time and energy to campaigning. 0
b. I work very hard at everything I do. 1
9. You run for a community office position, and you lose. PvB
a. I didn’t campaign hard enough. 1
b. The person who won knew more people. 0
13. You owe the library $10 for an overdue book. PmB
a. When I am really involved in what I am reading,
I often forget when it’s due. 1
b. I was so involved in writing the report
I forgot to return the book. 0
18. You lose a sporting event for which you have been
training for a long time. PvB
a. I’m not very athletic. 1
b. I’m not very good at that sport. 0
19. Your car runs out of gas on a dark street late at night. PsB
a. I didn’t check to see how much gas was in the tank. 1
b. The gas gauge was broken. 0
22. You ask a person out on a date, and he/she says no. PvB
a. I was a wreck that day. 1
b. I got tongue-tied when I asked him/her on the date. 0
28. Your boss gives you too little time in which to finish
a project, but you get it finished anyway. PvG
a. I am good at my job. 0
b. I am an efficient person. 1
38 29. You’ve been feeling run-down lately. PmB
a. I never get a chance to relax. 1
b. I was exceptionally busy this week. 0
30. You ask someone to dance and he/she says no. PsB
a. I am not a good enough dancer. 1
b. He/she doesn’t like to dance. 0
37. Your doctor tells you that you are in good physical shape. PvG
a. I make sure I exercise frequently. 0
b. I am very health-conscious. 1
39. Your doctor tells you that you eat too much sugar. PsB
a. I don’t pay much attention to my diet. 1
b. You can’t avoid sugar: It’s in everything. 0
47. You are in the hospital, and few people come to visit. PsB
a. I’m irritable when I’m sick. 1
b. My friends are negligent about things like that. 0
Scoring Key
G - B ___________________________
Positive Psychology A 7-Day
Handout Master D Unit Plan for
Scoring the
Optimism Questionnaire High School
Psychology
Psychology
Directions: Read each item carefully. Using the scale shown below,
please select the number that best describes YOU and put that number
in the blank provided.
1 = Definitely False
2 = Mostly False
3 = Somewhat False
4 = Slightly False
5 = Slightly True
6 = Somewhat True
7 = Mostly True
8 = Definitely True
Snyder, C. R., Harris, C., Anderson, J. R., Holleran, S. A., Irving, L. M.,
Sigmon, S. T., Yoshinobu, L., Gibb, J., Langelle, C., & Harney, P. (1991).
The will and the ways: Development and validation of an individual
differences measure of hope. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 60, 570-585. Retrieved June 28, 2000, from
http://raven.cc.ukans.edu/~crsnyder Used with permission
from C. R. Snyder.
Suggested Reading
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience.
New York: HarperCollins.
McDermott, D., & Snyder, C. R. (1999). Making hope happen: A workbook for turning
possibilities into reality. Oakland: New Harbinger.
Myers, D. G. (2000). Research-based suggestions for a happier life. Holland, Michigan: Hope
College. Retrieved from the World Wide Web on July 14, 2000, at:
http://www.davidmyers.org/happiness/research.html.
Seligman, M. E. P. (1998). Learned optimism: How to change your mind and your life (2nd. ed.).
New York: Pocket Books.
Snyder, C. R. (2000). Handbook of hope: Theory, measures, and applications. New York:
Academic Press.
References
45
Baumeister, R. F., & Exline, J. J. (2000). Self-control, morality, and human strength.
Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 19, 29-43.
Bolt, M. (1998). Instructor’s resources to accompany David G. Myers’ Psychology, 5th Edition.
New York: Worth.
Diener, E., Horowitz, J., & Emmons, R. A. (1985). Happiness of the very wealthy.
Social Indicators, 16, 263-274.
Diener, E., Suh, E. N., Lucas, R. E., & Smith, H. L. (1999). Subjective well-being:
Three decades of progress. Psychological Bulletin, 125, 276-302.
McCullough, M. E., & Snyder, C. R. (2000). Classical sources of human strength: Revisiting
an old home and rebuilding a new one. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 19, 1-10.
McGuire, P. A. (1998, October). Seligman touts the art of arguing with yourself.
APA Monitor, 29. 3 pages. Retrieved October 18, 1999 from the World Wide Web:
http://www.apa.org/monitor/oct98/talk.html.
References...continued
Myers, D. G., & Diener, E. (1995). Who is happy? Psychological Science, 6, 10-19.
Saroyan, S. (1998). Happy days are here again. Elle. Retrieved October 18, 1999
from the World Wide Web: http://www.apa.org/releases/days.html.
Seligman, M. E. P. (1998). Learned optimism: How to change your mind and your life (2nd ed.).
New York: Pocket Books.
Sheldon, K., Frederickson, B., Rathunde, K., Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Haidt, J. (2000).
Positive psychology manifesto (Rev. ed.). Philadelphia. Retrieved June 22, 2000
from the World Wide Web: http://www.psych.upenn.edu/seligman/akumalmanifesto.htm
Snyder, C. R., & Clair, M. (1976). The effects of expected and obtained grades on teacher
evaluation and attribution of performance. Journal of Educational Psychology, 68, 75-82.
Snyder, C. R., Harris, C., Anderson, J. R., Holleran, S. A., Irving, L. M., Sigmon, S. T.,
Yoshinobu, L., Gibb, J., Langelle, C., & Harney, P. (1991). The will and the ways: Development
and validation of an individual differences measure of hope. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 60, 570-585. Retrieved June 28, 2000 from http://raven.cc.ukans.edu/~crsnyder.
Williamson, G. (1998). The central role of restricted normal activities in adjustment to illness
and disability: A model of depressed affect. Rehabilitation Psychology, 43, 327-347.
POSITIVE
PSYCHOLOGY